Michael Jackson killed himself with a lethal dose of the hospital anaesthesia Propofol, it has been claimed.
Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney David Walgren claimed lawyers for Dr Conrad Murray, who is accused of involuntary manslaughter in relation to Jackson’s death, plan to use the theory as the main part of his defense. Walgren’s statement came at a hearing yesterday where a lawyer for Dr Murray clashed with the prosecutor over who should test residue from two syringes found in Jackson’s bedroom.

He said: ‘I do think it’s clear the defense is operating under the theory that the victim, Michael Jackson, killed himself. ‘They don’t want to say it but that’s the direction in which they are going.’ Defense attorney J. Michael Flanagan said a huge amount of the anaesthetic Propofol was found in Jackson’s body, but his client has said he gave him only 25 milligrams of the drug.

Mr. Walgren suggested the defense will claim Jackson killed himself by injecting more of the drug into himself. It is understood that Dr Murray’s lawyers will claim that the star woke up while his physician was out of the room for two minutes in the toilet and administered a lethal dose of the drug himself. A preliminary hearing in the case begins next Tuesday when Judge Michael Pastor will decide whether the prosecution has a strong enough case to support the unusual charge that Dr Murray was criminally responsible for the king of pop’s death in June 2009.

As many as 30 witnesses are expected to be called during the two week hearing. Although the defense won’t be putting its case, it is thought highly likely that the judge will find that the American cardiologist will have to go to trial.

Dr. Murray, 52, faces up to four years in prison if he is convicted. Reports in the US have suggested that the doctor’s lawyers will argue that the singer injected Propofol himself using an intravenous drip, causing a massive heart attack. He then supposedly dropped the bottle on the floor. When the doctor came back into the room he tried CPR in a desperate attempt to revive Jackson.

An autopsy later showed the heart attack was caused by a fatal dose of Propofol, a drug Jackson used to help with his chronic insomnia. Mr Flanagan said a broken syringe was found on the bedroom floor in addition to a syringe in an intravenous medication bag. He also revealed that a fingerprint found on the broken syringe hasn’t been identified.